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    Who are the NERD fund donors Mr Snyder?

    Raise the curtain.

    Schauer: "Finding a Way" To Violate the MI Constitution


    By Shell, Section News
    Posted on Sun Aug 10, 2008 at 01:20:17 PM EST
    Tags: (all tags)

    I have a dog in the oncoming fight between Mark Schauer and current Representative Tim Walberg of the 7th District. Schauer wants the job, but the lengths to which he'll go to get it are disturbing. His latest proposal is to hike the royalties oil and gas companies would pay to Michigan. Currently they pay one-sixth of the gross proceeds if natural gas or oil comes from land where the state owns the mineral rights. Schauer wants to jack it up to half.

    How does this violate the state Constitution?

    Michigan's royalties from oil and gas development go to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, which buys land for public recreation. The fund's purpose is spelled out in the state constitution. Schauer said he's confident the Legislature can find a way to spend money from higher royalties to help develop clean and renewable energy.

    Schauer wants the legislature to "find a way" to break the law and deny the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund revenue that it was constitutionally promised. In other words, let the legislature do the dirty work and keep his hands clean for the election. If he's willing to violate what the state founders set in stone on this issue, why should he stop there?

    This is another great reason to re-elect Tim Walberg.

    < Giving us more Gas | What to look forward to this week >


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    Schauer: "Finding a Way" To Violate the MI Constitution | 7 comments (7 topical, 0 hidden)
    Well... (none / 0) (#1)
    by jgillmanjr on Sun Aug 10, 2008 at 03:22:30 PM EST
    It's quite simple how Walberg could capitalize on this:

    You have ads showing that Schauer wants to do this, and what he wants to do with the money. Then you point out where in the constitution it says that the money isn't to go anywhere but the natural resources fund.

    It's pretty common sense that people would be able to pick up on that, but now that I think about it, people aren't probably that smart, at least not the ones voting for Schauer in the first place.

    As an aside, I'm pretty sure the fund wasn't even thought of back on 26 Jan 1837 when Michigan was admitted to the Union. The state founders set in stone on the issue? Not quite.

    There of course is also the fact that the constitution can be amended by an act of legislature to be voted on by the electorate - should you get enough people (which fortunately I doubt) that buy into the silly idea that we should be upping royalties and using that money to fund "alternative" energy ideas and the constitution issue is a moot point.

    So let me get this straight... (none / 0) (#2)
    by geek49203 on Sun Aug 10, 2008 at 06:20:06 PM EST
    So let me understand this...

    Schauer wants to TAX the one viable "alternative energy" (natural gas) that is proven, here today, and would readily substitute for petroleum in a short period of time, in order to fund "Green" alternative energies?

    He wants to tax something that provides for Michigan jobs -- I mean, it's not like gas companies won't simply stop pumping in favor of more profitable stuff -- so he can get more tax money?

    Schauer wants to have more taxes to spend more on pet social programs.  What is new here?  Doesn't this about wrap up the difference between Walberg and Schauer?

    Mark Schauer: Another Friend of Foreign Oil (none / 0) (#3)
    by crechter on Sun Aug 10, 2008 at 09:52:39 PM EST
    this is plane and simple... it's another way to discourage American production of energy and increase taxes on oil and gas, leading to even higher prices for American oil and gas and increase reliance on Hugo Chavez and the Middle East...  Mark Schauer is becoming the best friend of foreign oil - plain and smile... This is the exact same thing Pelosi is trying to do, increase regulations, taxes, and discourage production of American energy.

    The state owns the resource (none / 0) (#4)
    by NoviDemocrat on Sun Aug 10, 2008 at 11:57:13 PM EST
    and you people are complaining because the state might ask for more than 17% of the proceeds of the sale of that resource?

    Schauer: "Finding a Way" To Violate the MI Constitution | 7 comments (7 topical, 0 hidden)
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